Grain-binder.



Patented Nov. l9, IQUIL .I. MACPHAIL.

GRAIN BINDER (Application flied. Dec. 26, 1900.)

(No Model.)

Inz/emidr UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES MACPHAIL, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE MCCORMICK HARVESTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORA- TION OF ILLINOIS.

GRAIN-BINDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 686,821, dated November 19, 1901.

Application filed December 26, 1900- Serial No. 41,135. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES MAOPHAIL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have'invented a new and useful Grain- Binder, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to grain-binders.

The object of the invention is to provide means for efficient] y delivering the grain from the elevator mechanism to and upon the binder-deck and to the binder mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for preventing the material from choking in the throat of the feedway While being delivered upon the binder-deck from the elevator.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists, substantially, in the construction, combination, location, and arrangement, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawings, and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings and to the various views and reference-signs appearing thereon, Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of a portion of the grain-binder, showing the application of a construction embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view in plan. Fig. 3 is a detail view, in section, on the line 3 3, Fig. 1.

The same part is designated by the same reference-sign wherever it occurs throughout the several views.

In the usual operation of machines of this class the grain is delivered upon theinclined binder-deck by elevator aprons or carriers arranged to form afeedway. In the delivery of grain upon the bindendeck the grain being delivered sometimes chokes up the passageway or throat at the delivery end of the elevator. This is particularly true of long grain and is due, in part at least, to a lagging or retarding of the heads of the grain in passing over the highest point of the elevator onto the binder-deck and particularly of that class of machines employing a shield over the gearing which actuates the elevatoraprons and where the upper limit of the elevator-apron terminates somewhat below the apex or highest point of the elevator-frame, thereby causing the grain at the mouth or throat of the feedway and after leaving the elevator-canvas or moving surface thereof to be forced over such highest point by the accumulation of grain delivered by the canvas. This lagging of the grain is objectionable, because it not only causes choking at the mouth of the elevator, but the lagging or retarding of the heads of the grain causes the grain to be finally delivered upon the binder-deck somewhat askew and out of proper relation for the action of the packers.

It is the special purpose of my invention to provide means which are simple in construction and arrangement, whereby the objections above noted are avoided.

In carrying out my invention I provide what F, the drive-chain or sprocket, and G the sprocket-wheel, over which said drive-chain operates and throughwhich actuation is imparted to the lower elevator through suitablyarranged gearing in the usual or ordinary manner. H is the packer-shaft, upon which is mounted a sprocket-gear J, over which drive-chain F operates. These parts may be of the usual or any well-known type, con struction, and arrangement and in the specific construction and arrangement thereof form no part of my present invention.

K designates what I shall term a reliefrake bar, having projections or teeth Land a pointed end M. This rake bar is arranged to operate through a slot or opening N in binder-deck E and the shield 0, arranged over the sprocket-gear G and gearing actuated thereby. The relief-rake bar K is pivotally connected adjacent to its upper end, as

too

at P, eccentrically upon the face of drivesprocket G. The lower or other end of said rake-bar may be pivotally supported in any suitable manner. In the particular form shown, to which, however, the invention is not limited, said lower end of the rake-bar is pivotally mounted upon a stud Q, carried in an arm R. This arm It may be pivotally mounted upon any suitable support. As illustrative of a convenient arrangement in Fig. 3, I have shown said arm pivotally mounted upon the bearing S for the hub T of drivesprocket J of the packer-shaft, said bearing S being formed in a bracketW of the binder frame. By this construction it will be seen thatI provide a relief-rake bar which is supported upon a movable support at one end and pivotally connected eccentrically upon the face of a rotating part at its other end, and thereby I am enabled to impart a longitudinal reciprocatory oscillation to said rakebar, which movement causes the relief-rake bar to be retracted below the surface of the binder-deck, then projected forwardly for the pointed end thereof to enter the mass of grain above the delivery end of the lower elevatorcanvas, and then to rise gradually above the surface of shield O and binder-deck to permit the teeth L of said rake to engage in the mass of grain, thereby lifting the heads of the grain above the apex of the elevator and positively carrying such grain over such highest point and delivering the same upon the binder-deck and positively feeding such grain toward the binder mechanism, said relief-rake or the teeth thereof operating through the slot or opening N. The direction of travel of the sprocket-chain F and the direction of rotation of sprocket-wheel G are indicated by the arrows. Therefore it will be readily seen that the movement of the relief-rake from the position thereof shown in Fig. 1 is downwardly toward the lower edge of the binder-deck, and such movement is also a retracting movement carrying the teeth of such rake gradually below the upper surface of the binder-deck. When the point of pivotal connection (indicated at P) of the relief-rake eccentrically upon the face of sprocket-Wheel G passes its lowest point, the relief-rake will begin a forward and upward movement, gradually projecting the pointed end M into the mass of grain and gradually raising the teeth L above the surface of shield O of the binder-deck, and finally accelerating or positively carrying such grain over the highest point of the elevator to and upon the binder-deck and toward the binding mechanism, the pivotal supportfor the lower or rear edge of the reliefrake permitting such movement.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I provide exceedingly simple and efficient means whereby choking of the grain in the throat at the delivery end of the e1eva tor is avoided and any tendency of the heads of the grain lagging or being retarded is overcome-and the grain is positively lifted and accelerated over the highest point of the elevator and is positively started in proper relation upon the binder-deck on its way to the binding mechanism.

It is obvious that many variations and changes in the details of construction and arrangement would readily occur to persons skilled in the art and still fall within the spirit and scope of my invention. I do not desire, therefore, to be limited or restricted to the exact details shown and described; but,

Having now set forth the object and nature of my invention and a construction embodying the same, what I claim as new and useful and of my own invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a grain-binder, the combination with an elevator and means for operating the same, of a binder-deck to which said elevator delivers,a relief-rake arranged below the binderdeck and adjacent to the delivery end of said elevator, a portion of said rake traveling in an orbit which extends into the path of the grain that is about to be discharged from the elevator, and means for imparting an oscillatory reciprocating movement to such rake whereby the grain is positively carried over the highest point of the elevator and delivered upon said binder-deck, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a grain-binder, an elevating mechanism, a binder-deck to which said elevating mechanism delivers the grain, said binderdeck being slotted, and a relief-rake arranged beneath the binder-deck and adjacent to the delivery end of said elevator, a portion of said rake extending through said slot and into the path of the grain that is about to be discharged from the elevator to positively lift or carry the grain over the highest point of the elevator mechanism and down the binder-deck, and means for reciprocating said rake, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a grain-binder, the combination with elevating mechanism, means for driving the same including a sprocket-wheel, a relief-rake pivotally connected at one end eccentrically to said sprocket-wheel, and a swinging support for the other end of said rake, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a graimbinder, a binder-deck, an elevator, gearing for actuating the same, a drivechain for said gearing, in combination with a rake-bar having teeth, said rake-bar being located beneath the binder-deck, and pivotally connected eccentrically at the upper end thereof to one of the rotating drivegears, and a swinging support for the opposite or lower end of said bar, whereby longitudinal oscillatory reciprocations are imparted to said bar to project the teeth thereon above and retract the same below the surface of the binderdeck, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a grain-binder, a binder-deck and an elevator, and means for actuating said elevator, in combination with a swinging arm, a rake-bar arranged beneath the binder-deck and adjacent to the delivery end of said elevator, said rake-bar traveling in an orbit which extends into the path of the grain that is about to be discharged from the elevator, and said. rake-bar being pivotally connected at one end to said swinging arm, and a gearwheel to which the other end of said rake-bar is pivotally connected eccentrically, whereby longitudinal oscillatory reciprocations are imparted to the rake-bar to cause a portion of said rake-bar to travel in an orbit which extends into the path of the grain that is about to be discharged from the elevator to positively lift the grain over the highest point of the elevator and deliver the same to the binder-deck, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a grain-binder, a slotted binder-deck and elevating mechanism, in combination with a swinging arm, a rake-bar having teeth arranged to operate through the slot in said binder-deck, said rake-bar being pivotally connected to said swinging arm, a drive-gear for said elevating mechanism, the other end of said bar being eccentrically connected to said drive-gear, whereby longitudinal reciprocatory oscillations are imparted to said rake, as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a grain-binder, a packer-shaft, a driving-gear therefor, a journal-bearing for said driving gear, an arm pivotally supported upon said bearing, a relief-rake bar pivotally connected at one end to said arm, an elevating mechanism, a drive-gear therefor, said bar being eccentrically connected at the other end thereof to said gear, as and for the pur, pose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 18th day of December, 1900, in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

JAMES MAOPHAIL.

Witnesses:

E. O. SEMPLE, S. E. DARBY. 

